Daily Republican., 1887-09-14
CAPT. JAUK OR RawFoRD,
the Noted Poet scout, rains on Tenn
psranee.

At the Grand Avenue Nsthodist
hurch Sunday school 10 81 Louis .
ew SAbbaIbs since Captain Jack Draw
ord, the noted poet scout, told the fol.
o wing pathetic incident Of camp life.
he Captain said:
I'm the campaign against Sitting Bull
o 1875 l was with General Crooks
Command in the capacity OF oorrespon.
lent for . Chloaao paper. On the
march one day my horse became lame,
md when night overlook me found
nyself descending canyon In the Big
Horn mountains with the troops far In
ADVANCE. Ny poor beast was unable 10
larry me, and ss I walked down the
yrapd but dismal mountain gorge lead.
Ips him by the halter, / determ ipsd to
turn him loose and push forward on
foot. had halted TO remove the Fad.
die and bride, when the sound Of mer.
~ laughter and sona reached me from
further down the canyon.
".Tis the command / unused, 'sni
It 10 not far distant. Brace mp, Chief, |
noble old fellow, and We will soon be |
where you can secure food and rest
"'I toon came In sight OF large
camp FIRE. in the ruddy light Of which
we're grouped nun ber of soo7ts aud
grizzled old frontiers
men whose lives had been spent on the
borders of civilization. A l drew near
the spot they were singing . border
song, the notes Of which echoed and re-
echoed through the great rock. ribbed
gulch In weird and almost unearthly
reverberations.
"The boys welcomed mo warmly, and
I soon learned that the com msnd was 3
-. ~ hal ha M af
the canyon; that these boys had secured
q big Jug OF whisky In some way aud
had made their present camp away
from the troops to have u g1od time I'M.
molested. The jug was frequently
passed around, and fun and laughter
L reigued supreme.
"'Now, Captain Jack said they as I
approached, you must fill up with us
on This tarantular juice. We cum up
| 'ysr fur q jam boree, an we're havin' 1t
| in wild west style. Flood yer nnsrds,
cap'p, an take hand In the fes.ivt-
tie..'
"'No. thark you. boys.'I said, Il
never drink
."This response was greeted with loud
laughter, as II II were the best joke OF
the 60 sson. The mau who held ths jug
approached and said:
That's all right, cip'n, but on spe.
cial 'cashions sich rs this every bod ,
must drink. Is: as have o good time
while We kin, far on sich an expedition
as this We don't know when we'll run
into Injuus an leave our unoccupied
bodies Q layin' sort o. unconsArned like
Iamong the cage brush In state o. bald.
Iheaded inactivity; 30 let's make all We
kim o. life while IL stays with u.s.
yAsten yer claws on the jug. Oh boy,
lam down with the rejuvenatin' huid.'
"I took the proffsred Jug and set II
Idown on . pine stump near my side
and then said:
"'Boys, 1 always like to do my shart
Toward helping out in camp festivities
but l prefer to do 1t in my own way
Before take Q drink with you 1 wan
to tell you little story.
"sI we'll remsmb ber when / was III
tie barefoot, mischievous yolnsster n
my home In Minersvilte, In the coal re
gious OF Psnpsy lvaniR. My home waI
la happy one. NY father was kind anC
lindulgsnt and esteemed by all VII.
knew him, and was never 30 happy q
lwbeu sitting at home In the evening
with his little ones grouped about HIN
listening to his entertaining stories
We loved him dearly, aud thought tha
There WAS not such another father II
all the grea. wide world. Ny mothe
was Q sweet, gentle creature, for whom
our alteration almost verged into wor
chip She was bound mp In her chi!
ldren and they In her-bound with tn
pu,est and brightest links ever forge
for the golden chain Of love. The dov
Iof peace rested upon our happy hom
H., ,ain
. "'When i grew to be quite . ohm
marked change In my fathers appear
lance and actions. dis clothes ere'
lseesy, his face became flushed and
would act strangely when he came inl
1.-The house. Mother would kindly bI
sorrowfully get into bed, and I ofte
noticed tesrs in her eyes when she eau
. from the bedroom In response to N
boyish inquiries as to what grieved he
she would say that father was not vel
and the subject would drop. He seems
0lto neglect his home and never mo
]. took pleasure in entertaining us as
u ulonce did. Instead OF taking delight
being with us in the evening, he wOu
Iremain away until late hour, and II
happened to be awake whsn he retur
ed / noticed that he staggered 80 th
mother was always obliged to help hi
to bed.
"'I did not know 1t then, but when
grew older realized that the DEM
lrum had fastened it's releD tless claws
thai opce noble man and was draggiI
him down, down, down, day by da
Into the depths OF he'll upon cart
His hildren grew ragged, and we're
him entirely neglected He peverme
I deigned to fopdle and caress us or spe
y kindly to us, and while the children
our nsighbors were attending scho
and securing an education we we
lgrowing up as ignorant OF 8, b, G, rs
Indian Is of Christian rectitude.
felt that our father was lost 10 us, .
Iour young hearts ached with grief.
"Whea the var broke out In '6l
father was one OF the 6rst to 60 to
front, and two years later, m uoh agsil
the wishes OF my darling mother,
succeede cd in enltst.ng, although not
- 1.-The required age. need not detail
II llyou my experie noe during the war.
WAS twice wounded, and when pei
WAS declared WAS onee more pressed
". the bosom OF that mOther whose pray
!, have often thought were the cause
w. the great com N andsP above sparipg
Iyoung life. My father too WAS won
Ill. cd, and died shortly after the war.
was Isken away from the home VIII
Happiness his fatal appslite for stre
Idrink bad wrecked, Dut We mourn
his death with q sin oerity which 20
4 not be questioned.
Il "Soon after my mother was tai
~ lsick. and felt = kseu, cuiing pail
- fmy heart Is saw her sinking day
|day. One day the doctor came II
,.r, her room TO where I was citing
and }spondent and weeping and 81
TT johnny, have sad news for you,
tyoa muft bear up under tha great
.r rows as we'll as you can; your mot